Tesla Model Y drive thoughts and mini-review

kempez

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I rented a Model Y last weekend because my wife took our XC90 on a trip and whilst fun, the 'temporary' Up GTI I have was not going to cut it for the trips I wanted to do with the kids etc. Plus I thought it would be interesting to try out a Tesla. The Model Y is the right size in terms of family car and is still relatively new to the UK market (I know it's not new in general). May be interesting to some, I don't know.

Model Y. Dual Motor Long Range

The Looks

Let's face it: Tesla's are not very nice looking cars. The Model S is acceptable, the Model 3 borderline and the Y and X are, in my opinion, simply awful to look at. Especially the Y, which has weird proportions. Weirdly: my wife likes the look of it but I'm not entirely sure that's a complement

The size

It is a large car on the outside. Bigger than you think. Whereas I found on my PEC day: the Taycan shrunk around me, as does our XC90, the Y did not. I found it quite difficult to place on the road as you cannot see much of the bonnet. It's deceptively large

The plus point of this is that inside it is cavernous and the space is designed to be utilised very well. Storage is nothing short of brilliant. The boot is huge and the 'froot' is another reasonable and usable space. All my football coaching kit fit in it with no problems at all. Storage is also good in terms of massive cubby holes and great door bins etc.

The rest of the interior

The rest of the interior of the Y is frugal to say the least, but not totally without merit. The dash is decent and the wheel is a little small but works. The screen is excellent and software/hardware/interface very responsive and easy enough to use once you have found where stuff is. However: the lack of buttons does grind on you after a while. Or should I say the lack of buttons or any form of dedicated control outside the indicators and windows. Yes the software is very good, but it is being relied on far too heavily here.

The seats are comfortable, after initially being very uncomfortable, an adjustment of the lumbar support was needed as it really felt weird getting in to the car. The headrests are a minus point as they don't move at all. Kids had loads of space in the back and were pretty comfortable. I'd say that considering how fast the car can go though, more support would perhaps have been better.

The screen is very good, very responsive and I didn't miss having an instrument binnacle too much. An HUD would perfectly compliment it, imo and I don't know why they don't supply one. Additionally I think Tesla need to learn the same lesson as the rest of the industry. A few less physical buttons is fine, a total absence of physical buttons is distracting and difficult to use when driving a car.

Quality

I found quality to be generally good actually. Shut lines were OK and everything seemed generally bolted together 'OK'. It's not a Porsche, Audi or Volvo but it's pretty good. The cabin is very bare but maybe that's a personal preference. I do not like the faux wood at all.

Drive train, range, software, charging

The drive train stands out as utterly superb in the Tesla. It's smooth, responsive, easy to live with and can be brilliant fun because it's so fast. The car was pretty efficient too with 320 miles shown at full charge and this seemed pretty accurate, beside dropping some miles when on motorway or adding some heavy right foot. I didn't have time to do any geeky analysis of how well it did in terms of pure efficiency, but I could definitely live with the range that the car had.

The charging and software integration was excellent. Timers worked perfectly, were intuitive to set and the car manages itself 100x better than our XC90 T8 which is utterly appalling at managing its own charging.

Ride

This is the biggest down point to the car for me. The ride was really really bumpy. British roads are generally known as very bad and the Tesla seemed to seek out every bump it could do. Yes the suspension is 'sporty' and it does grip in corners, but you have no confidence when that grip will end and whatever trade-off they made to give a more 'sporty' setup simply was not worth it. It felt like the suspension in my Up GTI, but a LOT less fun to drive and at times: even bumpier. And the Up is a bumpy car.

Would I recommend?

This is difficult. The Y has a lot of advantages and if you can live with that very harsh ride then you'll be quite happy with it I think. The range is very usable and the drive-train really is a star in this car. Software is miles in advance of the major players too, albeit I had to make do with a keycard and not the app as it was a rental. Even then it was superb. Personally I'd not buy one for the family as it lacks that 'waft' I want from a family motor and which the XC90 delivers in spades.

Hope this is useful for someone 👍

Porsche Taycan Tesla Model Y drive thoughts and mini-review IMG_4328


Porsche Taycan Tesla Model Y drive thoughts and mini-review IMG_4335


Porsche Taycan Tesla Model Y drive thoughts and mini-review IMG_4334


Porsche Taycan Tesla Model Y drive thoughts and mini-review IMG_4333


Porsche Taycan Tesla Model Y drive thoughts and mini-review IMG_4332


Porsche Taycan Tesla Model Y drive thoughts and mini-review IMG_4331


Porsche Taycan Tesla Model Y drive thoughts and mini-review IMG_4330


Porsche Taycan Tesla Model Y drive thoughts and mini-review IMG_4329
 
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Mr.Smith

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If the Y had your XC90 drive train, how would you like the Tesla then?
 
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kempez

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If the Y had your XC90 drive train, how would you like the Tesla then?
The drive train of the XC90 is pretty good for a hybrid. It's great in electric only mode and surprisingly fast in power mode. But it has nowhere near the electric-only range I want and I've got to the stage where I think our next family car has to be electric only...in 2-3 years time when it's time to trade out the Volvo. We're very pleased with it overall, with my biggest bugbear being the absolutely terrible charging software/app. The Tesla wouldn't be on the list to consider (next), for the family if it was hybrid.

It's an odd question because the drive train and software are what make the Tesla such a good car. The rest is just 'OK'. Albeit really let down by appalling suspension setup.
 

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The drive train of the XC90 is pretty good for a hybrid. It's great in electric only mode and surprisingly fast in power mode. But it has nowhere near the electric-only range I want and I've got to the stage where I think our next family car has to be electric only...in 2-3 years time when it's time to trade out the Volvo. We're very pleased with it overall, with my biggest bugbear being the absolutely terrible charging software/app. The Tesla wouldn't be on the list to consider (next), for the family if it was hybrid.

It's an odd question because the drive train and software are what make the Tesla such a good car. The rest is just 'OK'. Albeit really let down by appalling suspension setup.
I find most people love the electric propulsion of the Tesla which makes them fall in love with the car. All EV drive trains feel the same (other than Taycan/Etron GT due to the 2speed transmission), just more or less power.

I was in a Y this weekend, the build wasn't bad, materials were junk, suspension appalling, very roomy and utilitarian
 

DMTaycan

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I rented a Model Y last weekend because my wife took our XC90 on a trip and whilst fun, the 'temporary' Up GTI I have was not going to cut it for the trips I wanted to do with the kids etc. Plus I thought it would be interesting to try out a Tesla. The Model Y is the right size in terms of family car and is still relatively new to the UK market (I know it's not new in general). May be interesting to some, I don't know.

Model Y. Dual Motor Long Range

The Looks

Let's face it: Tesla's are not very nice looking cars. The Model S is acceptable, the Model 3 borderline and the Y and X are, in my opinion, simply awful to look at. Especially the Y, which has weird proportions. Weirdly: my wife likes the look of it but I'm not entirely sure that's a complement

The size

It is a large car on the outside. Bigger than you think. Whereas I found on my PEC day: the Taycan shrunk around me, as does our XC90, the Y did not. I found it quite difficult to place on the road as you cannot see much of the bonnet. It's deceptively large

The plus point of this is that inside it is cavernous and the space is designed to be utilised very well. Storage is nothing short of brilliant. The boot is huge and the 'froot' is another reasonable and usable space. All my football coaching kit fit in it with no problems at all. Storage is also good in terms of massive cubby holes and great door bins etc.

The rest of the interior

The rest of the interior of the Y is frugal to say the least, but not totally without merit. The dash is decent and the wheel is a little small but works. The screen is excellent and software/hardware/interface very responsive and easy enough to use once you have found where stuff is. However: the lack of buttons does grind on you after a while. Or should I say the lack of buttons or any form of dedicated control outside the indicators and windows. Yes the software is very good, but it is being relied on far too heavily here.

The seats are comfortable, after initially being very uncomfortable, an adjustment of the lumbar support was needed as it really felt weird getting in to the car. The headrests are a minus point as they don't move at all. Kids had loads of space in the back and were pretty comfortable. I'd say that considering how fast the car can go though, more support would perhaps have been better.

The screen is very good, very responsive and I didn't miss having an instrument binnacle too much. An HUD would perfectly compliment it, imo and I don't know why they don't supply one. Additionally I think Tesla need to learn the same lesson as the rest of the industry. A few less physical buttons is fine, a total absence of physical buttons is distracting and difficult to use when driving a car.

Quality

I found quality to be generally good actually. Shut lines were OK and everything seemed generally bolted together 'OK'. It's not a Porsche, Audi or Volvo but it's pretty good. The cabin is very bare but maybe that's a personal preference. I do not like the faux wood at all.

Drive train, range, software, charging

The drive train stands out as utterly superb in the Tesla. It's smooth, responsive, easy to live with and can be brilliant fun because it's so fast. The car was pretty efficient too with 320 miles shown at full charge and this seemed pretty accurate, beside dropping some miles when on motorway or adding some heavy right foot. I didn't have time to do any geeky analysis of how well it did in terms of pure efficiency, but I could definitely live with the range that the car had.

The charging and software integration was excellent. Timers worked perfectly, were intuitive to set and the car manages itself 100x better than our XC90 T8 which is utterly appalling at managing its own charging.

Ride

This is the biggest down point to the car for me. The ride was really really bumpy. British roads are generally known as very bad and the Tesla seemed to seek out every bump it could do. Yes the suspension is 'sporty' and it does grip in corners, but you have no confidence when that grip will end and whatever trade-off they made to give a more 'sporty' setup simply was not worth it. It felt like the suspension in my Up GTI, but a LOT less fun to drive and at times: even bumpier. And the Up is a bumpy car.

Would I recommend?

This is difficult. The Y has a lot of advantages and if you can live with that very harsh ride then you'll be quite happy with it I think. The range is very usable and the drive-train really is a star in this car. Software is miles in advance of the major players too, albeit I had to make do with a keycard and not the app as it was a rental. Even then it was superb. Personally I'd not buy one for the family as it lacks that 'waft' I want from a family motor and which the XC90 delivers in spades.

Hope this is useful for someone 👍

IMG_4328.jpeg


IMG_4335.jpeg


IMG_4334.jpeg


IMG_4333.jpeg


IMG_4332.jpeg


IMG_4331.jpeg


IMG_4330.jpeg


IMG_4329.jpeg
Good report

I agree with you completely on the looks and again I have no idea why my wife thinks the Y looks better than the 3, but then again tastes differ. Does anybody have an opinion on the ride when the Y is used in European holidays?
 


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kempez

kempez

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I find most people love the electric propulsion of the Tesla which makes them fall in love with the car. All EV drive trains feel the same (other than Taycan/Etron GT due to the 2speed transmission), just more or less power.

I was in a Y this weekend, the build wasn't bad, materials were junk, suspension appalling, very roomy and utilitarian
I actually think they do vary in terms of how well they work. Tesla's is a step beyond most of them, with a few notable exceptions. It's also the tight integration with software and how it just works so nicely together.

I don't think material were 'junk', but I do feel they're not good enough for the price of the vehicle. But interior is well thought out, very roomy and well done for a family. You pay for the whole package and because Tesla drive train and software is ahead of the rest of the market. The amount of miles they get out of a battery, the power delivery and the charging is superior to other brands because it's integrated well. Like Apple, but without the polish and high end design/materials.

Good report

I agree with you completely on the looks and again I have no idea why my wife thinks the Y looks better than the 3, but then again tastes differ.
Thanks 👍

Yes exactly. It just seems to appeal to my wife and I don't know why. Maybe the whole 'white goods' thing works better with those of a more practical disposition. But I agree that tastes differ and I like cars to look 'designed'. Tesla cars feel like they're designed to be a generic car and not necessarily stand out.
 
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LyonStanford

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I recently saw your post about the Tesla Model Y and I totally agree with you about the electric propulsion being a game-changer for EVs. I love how smooth and quiet the ride is. And yeah, the build quality could definitely be better, but it's still a solid car overall. BTW, I came across this windshield sun shade for the Model Y while browsing online and thought you might be interested. Just thought I'd share in case you're looking for ways to upgrade your Y experience https://www.topcarstesla.com/products/model-y-windshield-sunshade. It's a great way to keep your car cool and protect the interior from harmful UV rays.
 
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andb

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A month ago when I drove the Model 3 the most annoying thing was the excessive road/wind noise, got headache after 2 hours on the highway. Next rental on the same trip was a C-class, huge difference in comfort, nvh.
But then if Teslas were built like a Mercedes they won't be so cheap.
 


simcity

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A month ago when I drove the Model 3 the most annoying thing was the excessive road/wind noise, got headache after 2 hours on the highway. Next rental on the same trip was a C-class, huge difference in comfort, nvh.
But then if Teslas were built like a Mercedes they won't be so cheap.
To be fair S and X cars are much quieter and refined (comparatively) than the 3 and Y. A ton more sound deadening, air suspension vs springs. They are far more suited to munching miles, albeit double the price!
 

paulsantiago

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Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Tesla Model Y! It's always interesting to hear first-hand impressions. The car seems to offer a lot of storage space, which is very family-friendly. I was also impressed with the design and build quality of the car. I also like that the tesla model y interior can be supplemented with various accessories to make the car more stylish and comfortable. Overall, the Model Y has its strengths, and I might consider purchasing one for my family. Thanks for the mini-review, now it is much easier for me to make my choice.
 

SteveGTS

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I'm still a Model 3 owner until my car is released from the stop-sale. I took a MY for a test drive when my M3P went in for some warranty work and apart from the extra storage space I didn't like it at all, there is no cover for the luggage compartment, although you can by a third-party one, and this makes it unreasonably noisy. The handling felt compromised compared to the M3P (admittedly we are comparing the MY with the performance variant ) it had both harshness and body roll.

When they had finished the work on my car I stopped off at Porsche Guildford on the way home and the inevitable happened!

I can see that the MY might be good as a second car for ferrying around kids and dogs.

One big plus with Tesla is the servicing, my experience has been very good, you book the car in and they work on it as soon as it arrives, and they get the work done quickly, or a ranger comes to you.
 

Austintin

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Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Tesla Model Y! It's always interesting to hear first-hand impressions. The car seems to offer a lot of storage space, which is very family-friendly. I was also impressed with the design and build quality of the car. I also like that the tesla model y interior can be supplemented with various accessories to make the car more stylish and comfortable. Overall, the Model Y has its strengths, and I might consider purchasing one for my family. Thanks for the mini-review, now it is much easier for me to make my choice.
I'm glad to hear that my input was helpful in your decision-making process. The Tesla Model Y indeed offers ample storage space and has a family-friendly design. The ability to customize and enhance the interior with Tesla accessories allows for a more personalized and comfortable experience. Remember to take a test drive and thoroughly research all aspects of the vehicle to ensure it aligns with your specific requirements.
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